Stacking machine



Jan. 18, 1955 A. E. RlNl-:ER

STACK-ING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. l2, 1949 Jan. 18, 1955 A. E. RINEER 2,699,942

STACKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12,l 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 18, 1955 A. E. RINEER STACKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 18, 1955 A. E. RINEER sTAcKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IMI IEM n m STACKING MACHINE Arthur E. Rincer, Centerville, Ohio Application January 12, 1949, ySerial No. 70,565

26 Claims. v(Cl. 271-68) .margins of the signatures that are to be bound. The sig- .natures coming from a printing press `are generally stacked, then placed on skids or trucks and held in storage in readiness for use in the bindery. Usually they are loosely stacked, resulting in frequent mishaps, as for example, accidentally upsetting a stack. These upset `stacks result .in waste material, due todamage andsoilage and muchadditional labor to salvage whatever can be used.

An object of this invention is to assemble signatures andplace them 1n magazines or containers in readiness 4for use, this being accomplished by feeding the signatures through a helical path so as to rotate the signatures .through anangleof substantially 90, .to thereby position the signatures on edge. After this has been done, .the signatures are aligned side by side and fed through a chute, the width of the chute preferably being less than .the length of the signatures, the signatures extending transversely across the chute so that the signatures are ybowed or curved when passing through the chute in readiness .to be carried to a -storage stack or in readiness to be automatically fed into a magazine .or a container.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof and the mode of yoperationpas will become more apparent from the following description.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a side elevational view of the signature assembling machine. j

Figure 2 isa top schematic plan view to show the path of the signatures.

lFigure 3 fis a cross sectional view taken :substantially on the line .3 3 of :Figure l.

yFigure 4 .is another cross sectional view taken ysub- ,.stantiallyfon the line 4-4 of Figure l.

Figure `5 is another cross sectional View taken substantially `on the Vline 5-5ofFigure l.

Figure A6 is an enlarged .top .plan view .of the chute into .which the signatures are fed, together with the mechanism for .delivering .the signatures. into the chute.

Figure `7 is a .fragmentary cross section-al `view taken substantially on the line 7--7 of Figure v6.

Figure 8 discloses .a container ormagazine mounted upon a Vchain conveyor.

`Figure 9 is a perspective viewof a'truckadapted for use in transporting and storing the signatures.

vReferring to the drawings, .the reference character 2l) indicates a leg supporting one end of the conveyor in- :cluding the shaft 22, which 'will be described more ifully later. The `leg 20 is'rnounted =upon a foot portion 24 which prevents side swaying of the conveyor. The leg 2t) consists of two 'partsftelescopicallyfdisposed,so as to permit adjustment of the height to accommodate printing .presses vof various heights, as will appear more fully later.

- A leg '26, similar to'the leg 20, is also mounted upon thefoot` portion 24 and may .be referred to as a centrally disposed leg, in that it is located near the end vof -:the conveyor 'Sand under thegpackingassernbly. 'The l States Patent() 2,699,942 Patented Jan. 18, 1955 lCC packing assembly is supported upon a pair of legs 36B, lsupporting the end of a rectangular frame 32 The device supported yupon the frarneconsists broadly of (A) a conveyor for orienting the signatures; (B) the drivingmechanism; (C) a vibrating mechanism or jogging mechanism; (D) a packing mechanism and (E) a storage device. These will now be described separately. Conveyor for orenting the signatures matically in .Figure 2, the signatures 4l) are fed through a path such that the signatures eventually rest upon the folded margin 42. The conveyor for orienting the signatures from .a horizontal position to a vertical position consists of a plurality of rollers 44, which may be .tubular members, as best shown in Figure 3. Each roller 44 is provided with a cylindrical core v46, attached to a shaft 48 journalled in housings 50 iixedly mountedin a suitable aperture in the shaft 22. The angle of inclination .of succeeding rollers 44 increases gradually, so that the rollers located to the extreme left of Figure ll are substantially horizontally disposed and the rollers toward the other end of the carriage, as shown in Figure l, are substantially vertically disposed. This ,has been accomplished by providing the shaft 22 with a plurality of apertures having the `angle of inclination increased progressively from one end of the shaft to a point near the other end of the shaft.

The folded margins 42 of .the signatures 40 contact rollers 6l) arranged at right angles to adjacent rollers 44 .journalled in suitable bearings and housings mounted in the .shaft 22. The rollers 6i) adjacent the printing :press are .substantially vertically disposed, whereas the rollers 60 adjacent the other end of the conveyor are substantially horizontally disposed. The rollers 60 are spaced .further apart than the rollers 44, in that the signatures havepgreater rigidity in the plane of the signatures,

as compared, to a direction normal to the plane of the signatures. The rollers 44 and the rollers 60 are driven -from a suitable electric Ymotor 62.

Driving mechanism shaft 72 journalled in bearings 74. The bearings 74 are mounted upon a ledge S0 pivotally attached to the leg 26.and biased downwardly by a Weight 82. A belt S4, driven from apulley S6 keyed tothe shaft 72 passes over Yidler pulleys 88, as -best seen in Figure 5, over a pulley 'and a-pulley 92, shown in :Figure l, and in contact with .thepulleys 94,915,98 and 100. The belt v84 is tensioned by a weight 85 `suspended from an idler pulley 87. The pulleys 9E), 92, 94, 96, 98 and lili) are each keyed to the end of its shaft 48. By this arrangement the belt 84 -drives some 'of the rollers 44. The rollers 44 located be- 44, are also driven by the belt`84 passing over the pulleys keyed lto shafts extending through the shaft 22 and viixedly attached-to the tubular rollers 60. Belts 112, passing over pulleys'lll, drive the rollers 6i) rotating between Vthe rollersthat are driven by the pulleys 110.

vrl'n order to start the signatures being fed over the rollers 44, an idler roller l2@ mounted on a lever 122 'fulcrumed at 124, exerts a downward pressure upon the signatures, so as `to press them into contact with the rollers 44 to pull the signatures from the fixed support of the printing press. The pressure of the roller may be adjusted by a weight 126 adjustably mounted upon the lever 122.

Furthermore, in order to cause the signatures as they pass over the rollers 44 to contact there rollers, a plurality of oating members 130, rotatably mounted upon standards 132 and held in a floating position by springs 1347 normally rest in close proximity to the rollers 44, as shown in Figure 4. The lower ends of members 130 are provided with rubber rollers 136, having rolling contact with the signatures. The floating members 130 insure uniform movement of the signatures.

In View of the fact that the folded margins of the signatures should all lie in a common plane, it is necessary to urge the signatures towards the rollers 60, so that the folded margins roll in contact with these rollers. In most cases the weight of the signatures will cause the signatures to contact the rollers 60; but occasionally a signature may stick and thereby be prevented from dropping into contact with the rollers 60.

A plurality of eccentric jogging members 14), terminating in flanged discs 142, are keyed to shafts 144 journalled in bearings 146, each jogging member being driven by a pulley 148 driven by a belt 150 actuated by a pulley 152 secured to the end of a selected roller 65). As best seen in Figure 4, there are four of these jogging members 140 and due to the eccentricity of members 140, it can be readily seen that as these members 140 rotate, they will intermittently engage the edges of the signatures opposite the folded edges, thereby urging the signatures into contact with the rollers 69. Each of the jogging members 140 is provided with saw-tooth-like marginal grooves 147, preventing the signatures from slipping or curling under members 140 when coming into contact therewith.

Vibrating mechanism r jogging mechanism The signatures pass from the conveyor into a vibrating mechanism. In order to aid the rollers to push the signatures on to the vibrating mechanism, the signatures pass between a pair of boosters 160. Each of these boosters is mounted upon a shaft 164, slidably mounted in an oscillatory support 166. The end of each shaft 164 is attached to a cam follower 168 mounted upon an eccentric cam 170 driven by a shaft 172 having iixedly attached thereto a bevelled gear 174 meshing with a bevelled gear 176 keyed to a shaft 180 driven by a pulley 182 actuated by a belt 184 passing over a pulley 186 keyed to the drive shaft 72. This causes the booster members 160 to travel through a substantially oval path, the two boosters coming together, so as to grip the signatures, then pull the signatures from the conveyor in a vertical position past knurled rollers 190 keyed to a shaft 192 driven by a pulley 194 by means of a V-belt 196 passing over a pulley 198 keyed to a shaft 200. The shaft 200 is driven by a V-belt 202 passing over a pulley 204 keyed to a shaft 206, shown in Figure l, driven by a belt 203 from the shaft 172.

As the signatures are advanced, they pass over a vibrau tory platform 219 that is vibratcd electromagnetically by an electromagnet vibrator 212. This vibratory platform or support 210 is provided with a plurality of vent holes 214 overlying an air conduit 216 supplying air under pressure from a hose 213 connected to a suitable source of air pressure (not shown), so as to force air upwardly between the signatures, tending to separate the signatures on the vibratory support. However, the air pressure is insuflicient to lift the signatures from the vibratory support.

Packing mechanism As the signatures are advanced upwardly, in reality horizontally, as viewed toward the top of Figure 6, the sheets are actuated upon by a packing mechanism including a reciprocatory member 220 extending across the end of the chute 222. This reciprocatory member 220 is iixedly attached to a U-shaped bracket 224, the legs of which function as a pair of cam followers for-the eccentric 226 keyed to the shaft 206. Upon rotation of the shaft 206 by the driving mechanism, as has already been described, the reciprocatory member 220 is both reciprocated and oscillated, in that one end of member 220 is attached to a bracket 23@ provided with a pin 232 mounted for reciprocatory movement in a stationary slot 234. The reciprocatory member 220 has xedly attached thereto a leaf spring 240 secured to a support 242 and extending in both directions from the support 4242, one end extending over a portion of the conveyor, as has already been described, so as to guide the signatures upon the vibratory support. The other end of the spring 240 overlaps a resilient packing member 250 made from sheet metal or any other exible material. Member 250 is attached to a cam follower 252 actuated by a cam 254, as best seen in Figure 7. The ends of member 250 are reciprocated by member 220. The center of member 250 is actuated by the cam follower 252. The cam follower 252 makes a larger stroke than does the cam actuating member 220. This results in the center portion of member 250 traveling through a greater stroke than the ends of member 251i. This results in the signatures being curved, in that the center of the signatures are pushed a greater distance than the ends as the signatures are advanced into the packing compartment.

The signatures are packed into the chute 222. The sides 260 and 262 are spaced apart a distance less than the overall length of the signatures. That being the case, without folding the ends of the signatures, it is necessary for the signatures to be bowed when extending across the chute. ln order to facilitate the movement of the signatures from the vibratory support 210 upon the bottom of the chute 222, the sides of the chute are provided with several sets of rollers 264, 266 and 268, belt driven, so as to actuate the ends of the signatures, the centers of the signatures being actuated more forcibly by the center of the flexible packing member 250. A magnet vibrator 249 is mounted under the chute 222, so as to vibrate the chute, to thereby facilitate the movement of the signatures through the chute.

Storage device As the signatures are gathered in the chute 222, they are gradually advanced into a container or magazine 270 provided with side walls 272 and 274, the arcuate end 276 and the bottom 278. Side rails 280 are ixedly secured to the sides of the container 270. This chute has its forward end projecting under the end of the chute 222, as best seen in Figure 7. The container 270 rests upon the frame member 32. When the container 270 has a suiiicient quantity of signatures therein, the attendant separates the signatures at the proper place, shoving the signatures to be carried away into the container, then removing the container and substituting a new container therefor. A

In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the side rails 280 are inserted into a track or guide rail 282 iixedly attached to chain conveyors 284 and 286 by means of brackets 290 and 292.

Due to the fact that it is not deemed feasible to synchronize the operation of the bindery with the printing press for various reasons, it is quite customary in the larger publishing houses to print an issue and place it in storage so that the printed signatures can be assembled in the bindery whenever the bindery is available. In this event, the containers 270 may then be stored in trucks 300 provided with a plurality of partitions 302 having guide rails 304 mounted on the partitions and upon the side walls. Thus, the containers may be stacked as shown in Figure 9. In this figure some of the containers have been indicated as being lled, While others are empty. Furthermore, some of the rails do not have any containers. This is to depict actual operating conditions, wherein the truck has empty containers ready to be filled, containers being filled and others which have been filled. The trucks 300 may be placed on ele'- vator platforms 310 so as to bring the storage rails to a convenient level for the operator and so as to store the trucks on different levels to economize on space.

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a vdevice capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and deiined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In an assembling machine for stacking signatures having a folded margin, the combination including means for receiving the signatures in a horizontal position, means for orienting the signatures into a vertical position with the folded margins at thebottom, andfmeans for positioning the folded, margins ofthe signatures in a common plane comprising a plurality of eccentric jogging marglns Iso as ,toiurge the signatures into contact ywith aset ofaligning rollers, a pair of boosters, a vibratory platform, said boosters assisting the movingofthe signatures to the vibratory platform, and means for packing the signatures into a chute.

2. In an assemblingmachine for stacking signatures, the combination including means for receiving the siglnatures in a horizontal position, means for orienting the signatures into a vertical `position, and meansfor posi- .tioning the lower margins of the signatures in a common plane comprising a plurality of eccentric jogging members adapted upon .being rotated to intermittently engage the edges of the signatures opposite kthe folded margins soas .to urge the signatures into contact with a set .of aligning rollers, a pair `of boosters, a vibratory platform, said boosters assisting-the moving of the signatures to the vibratory platform, and means for packing .the signatures into a chute.

3. Inan assembling machine for stacking signatures y.according to claim 2, wherein means for orienting the signatures in a Yvertical position consists of two sets vof rollers, one set of rollers supporting one set of signatures .andthe other set ,of rollers supporting the folded margins, the angle of inclination of the first set of-rollers gradually increasing from a horizontal position at Vthe receiving end of the orienting means into a vertical position at the delivery end thereof, the other set of rollers having an angle of inclination decreasing from the vertical position at the receiving end to a substantially horizontal position at the delivery end.

4. In an assembling machine for stacking signatures according to claim 2, wherein thechute consists of a magazine the width of the magazine being less than the length of the signatures, the packing means bowing the signatures so as to cause the signatures to be stacked .in arcuate formation.

5. In an assembling machine for stacking signatures `according to claim 2, wherein the means for orienting the signatures into a vertical position includes a plurality of horizontal rollers of uniform diameter for receivingfthe signatures in ahorizontal position, the angle of inclination of succeeding rollers increasing with respect to a horizontal plane "so as to-orient the signatures `from -a horizontal position to a vertical position, and wherein the eccentric jogging members consist of a plurality of concentrically disposed flanged rollers for engaging the margins of the signatures oppositethe folded margins.

6. In an assembling machine for stacking signatures accordingl to claim 2, wherein the means for orienting the signatures into a vertical position includes a plurality of horizontal rollers for receiving the signatures in ya horizontal position, the angle of inclination of suc-l :ceeding .rollers increasing with respect to a horizontal :plane so as to orient the signatures into a vertical posi- ,tion as the signatures are fed by the rollers, some of the rollers being shorter than the others.

7. In an assembling machine for stacking signatures having one margin to be bound, the combination including means for receiving the signatures in a horizontal psition, means for orienting the signatures into a vertical positionl with the margins to be bound on the bottom, a vibratory support, means for feeding the oriented signatures upon said vibratory support, means for vibrating the vibratory support, said vibratory support having a plurality of apertures, means for directing air under pressure upwardly through the apertures in the vibratory support to thereby tend to separate the signatures so as to align the margins to be bound, and packing means for actuating the signatures laterally upon the vibratory support.

8. In an assembling machine for stacking signatures having one margin to be bound, the combination including means for receiving the signatures in a horizontal position, means for orienting the signatures into a vertical position with the margins to be bound on the bottom, a vibratory support, means for feeding the oriented signatures upon said vibratory support, means for vibrating the vibratory support, said vibratory support having a plurality of apertures, means for directing air under pressure upwardly through the apertures in the vibratory support to thereby tend to separate the signatures so as to align the margins to be bound, packing means for Vactuatingfthe signatures laterally upon -the'vibratory support, and a chute aligned with ,the vibratory Vsupport for receiving ythe signatures actuated by Vthepacking means for accumulating `the .signatures in :readiness vfor .stacking.

:9. In an .assembling machine for stackingsignatures having one margin to be`bound, .the combination including means for receiving the signatures in a horizontal position, means for orienting the .signatures .into a verticalgposition with .the margins to be .bound on the botftom, a vibratory support, means for 'feeding-the oriented signatures upon said vibratory support, means 'for vibrating the vibratory support, said vibratory support .havinga plurality of apertures, means for directing air under t pressure upwardly through the apertures 1n the vibratory support to ,thereby tend 'to separate thesignatures -so as to align .the margins to be bound, packingmeans .for actuating the signatures laterally upon the vibratoryfsupport, a container having an open end directed toward the vibratory support, and means for-conveying the Asignatures onedge from the vibratory'support to .the :container, said container being removably mounted so as to permit the signatures to be .transported in the icontainer.

10. In an assembling machine for aligningand stacking signatures provided with a margin to be bound,.the combination including means for Lorienting the signatures to be stacked from a horizontal position into a vertical position with the margins to'be bound on the bottom, a vibratory support, booster members for feeding vthe signatures longitudinally uponthe vibratory rsupport, .and means for actuating the signatures laterally on the vibratory support comprising aresilient packing member adapted to curve the signature.

ll. In an assembling machine for aligning and stacking signatures provided with a margin to be bound, the combination including means for orienting -the signatures tovbe stacked from a horizontal position into a vertical position vwith the margins to be bound on the -.bottom, a vibratory support, booster members for .feeding the signatures longitudinally upon the vibratory support, means for actuating rthe signatures laterally on the vibratory support, and 'a chute aligned with the vibratory support for receiving t-hev signatures advanced laterally from the vibratori/.support intothe chute.

.12. In an assembling machine for-aligning vand stacking signatures .provided `with a margin .to be bound, the .combination including means for orienting the signatures to be stacked from a horizontal position into a `vertical position with the margins to be bound onthe bottom, ra vibratory support, booster members `for feeding the signatures longitudinally upon the vibratorysupport, means for actuating the signatures laterally on the vibratory support, a chute valigned with the vvibratory support for receiving the signatures advanced laterally rfrom the vibratory support into the chute, yandmeans for vibrating the chute to facilitate lthe lateral *movement of the signatures in the chute.

13. VIn an assembling machine for aligning and stacking signatures provided with a margin to be bound, the combination including means for orienting the signatures to be stacked from a horizontal position into a vertical position with the margins to be bound on the bottom, a vibratory support terminating in a plurality of projections, means for vibrating the vibratory support, means for advancing the signatures longitudinally upon the vibratory support, a chute provided with cut-away areas complementing the projections of the vibratory support, and means for actuating the signatures laterally upon the vibratory support so as to cause the signatures to be actuated from the vibratory support into the chute.

14. In an assembling machine for aligning and stacking signatures provided with a margin to be bound, the combination including means for orienting the signatures to be stacked from a horizontal position into a vertical position with the margins to be bound on the bottom, a vibratory support terminating in a plurality of projections, means for vibrating the vibratory support, means for advancing the signatures longitudinally upon the vi` bratory support, a chute provided with cut-away areas complementing the projections of the vibratory support, means for actuating the signatures laterally upon the vibratory support so as to cause the signatures to be actuated from the vibratory support into the chute, and

means for vibrating the chute to facilitate the feeding of the signatures through the chute.

15. In an assembling machine for aligning and stacking signatures provided with a margin to be bound, the combination including means for orienting the signatures to be stacked from a horizontal position into a vertical position with the margins to be bound on the bottom, a vibratory support terminating in a plurality of projections, means for vibrating the vibratory support, means for advancing the signatures longitudinally upon the vibratory support, a chute provided with cut-away areas complementing the projections of the vibratory support, means for actuating the signatures laterally upon the vibratory support so as to cause the signatures to be actuated from the vibratory support into the chute, and means tending to separate the signatures upon the vibratory support to facilitate alignment of the margins to be bound into a common plane.

16. In an assembling machine for aligning and stacking signatures provided with a margin to be bound, the combination including means for orienting the signatures to be stacked from a horizontal position into a vertical position with the margins to be bound on the bottom, a vibratory support terminating in a plurality of projections, means for vibrating the vibratory support, means for advancing the signatures longitudinally upon the vibratory support, a chute provided with cut-away areas complementing the projections of the vibratory support, means for actuating the signatures laterally upon the vibratory support so as to cause the signatures to be actuated from the vibratory support into the chute, means tending to separate the signatures upon the vibratory support to facilitate alignment of the margins to be bound into a common plane, and means for vibrating the chute to facilitate the feeding of the signatures from the vibratory support into the chute.

17. In an assembling machine for aligning and stacking signatures provided with a margin to be bound, the combination including means for orienting the signatures to be stacked from a horizontal position into a vertical position with the margins to be bound on the bottom, a vibratory support terminating in a plurality of projections, means for vibrating the vibratory support, means for advancing the signatures longitudinally upon the vibratory support, a chute provided with cut-away areas complementing the projections of the vibratory support, means for actuating the signatures laterally upon the vibratory support so as to cause the signatures to be actuated from the vibratory support into the chute, means tending to separate the signatures upon the vibratory support to facilitate alignment of the margins to be bound into a common plane, means for vibrating the chute to facilitate the feeding of the signatures from the vibratory support into the chute, and a magazine aligned with the chute, said magazine having an open end facing the chute so that the signatures may be fed from the chute into the magazine.

18. In a packing mechanism for packing signatures into a chute, comprising a vibratory support, means for feeding the signatures onto said support, an actuator provided with a reciprocatory member pivotally mounted on an eccentric and slidably mounted at one end thereof, a resilient packing member attached to a cam follower, said resilient member being adapted to be reciprocated by said reciprocatory member, said cam follower having a larger stroke than the reciprocatory member so that the center of the resilient member travels through a larger stroke than its end so as to curve the signatures, a chute adapted to receive said curved signatures provided with sides spaced apart at a distance less than the overall length of the signatures, rollers in said chute to facilitate movement of said signatures to the bottom of said chute.

19. In a packing assembly for packing signatures into a chute comprising a vibratory support, means for feeding the signatures onto said support, an actuator assembly having a member pivotally mounted on an eccentric and slidably mounted at one end thereof, a resilient packing member attached to a cam follower at its center and retained at its ends by leaf springs attached to said member, said resilient member being reciprocated transverse of the vibratory support so as to curve the signatures, a chute adapted to receive said signatures provided with sides which are spaced apart a distance less than the overall length of the signatures.

20. In a packing mechanism for packing signatures into a chute, comprising a vibratory support, means for feeding the signatures onto said support, an actuator provided with a reciprocatory member pivotally mounted on an eccentric and slidably mounted at one end thereof, a resilient packing member attached to a cam follower, said resilient member being adapted to be reciprocated by said reciprocatory member, said cam follower having a larger stroke than the reciprocatory member so that the center of the resilient member travels through a larger stroke than its end so as to curve the signatures, said resilient member forcing the signatures into a chute provided with sides spaced apart a distance less than the overall length of the signatures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

